Hanging Heaton Church of England Voluntary Controlled Junior and Infant School

SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 6 th – 8 th December 2004

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SCHOOL

Inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 Hanging Heaton CE (VC) Junior and Infant School - 2 This report may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that all extracts quoted are reproduced verbatim without adaptation and on condition that the source and date thereof are stated.

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SCHOOL

Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the School Inspections Act 1996, the school must provide a copy of this report and/or its summary free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied. Hanging Heaton CE (VC) Junior and Infant School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Junior and infant School category: Voluntary controlled Age range of pupils: 4 – 11 Gender of pupils: Mixed Number on roll: 131

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: High Street Hanging Heaton Batley West Yorkshire

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Telephone number: 01924 325252 Fax number: 01924 325252

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: Governing body Name of chair of governors: Mrs G Brook

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

This is a smaller than average Voluntary Controlled primary school that takes boys and girls between the ages of four and eleven years. There are currently 131 pupils at the school. Nearly all of the pupils come from white British families, with a very small number of dual ethnic heritage. All pupils speak English as their first language. While the proportion of pupils entitled to free school meals is below average, this does not reflect the other socio-economic indicators for the school’s area, which are average.

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

A higher than average proportion of pupils has special educational needs and the number of pupils with statements of special educational need is about double what might be expected for a school of this size. The pupils’ special needs include moderate learning difficulty and hearing impairment. There are five classes, all with mixed ages. Pupils’ attainment when they start school is generally below average, particularly in language. The school gained a School Achievement Award in 2003. Hanging Heaton CE (VC) Junior and Infant School - 4

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

21227 Barbara Crane Lead inspector English, art and design, religious education, areas of learning for the Foundation Stage. 19426 Chris Farris Lay inspector 30398 Chris Scola Team inspector Mathematics, design and technology, physical education, music. 32283 Denis Goodchild Team inspector Science, information and communication technology, history, geography, special educational needs.

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

peakschoolhaus BPS Business Centre Brake Lane Boughton Nottinghamshire NG22 9HQ

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Any concerns or complaints about the inspection or the report should be made initially to the inspection contractor. The procedures are set out in the leaflet ‘Complaining about Ofsted Inspections’ , which is available from Ofsted Publications Centre (telephone 07002 637833) or Ofsted’s website (www.ofsted.gov.uk). Hanging Heaton CE (VC) Junior and Infant School - 5

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 9

Standards achieved in areas of learning and subjects

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 9

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL 11

Teaching and learning The curriculum Care, guidance and support Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS 27

Hanging Heaton CE (VC) Junior and Infant School - 6 Hanging Heaton CE (VC) Junior and Infant School - 7

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OVERALL EVALUATION

The school gives its pupils a good quality education and so they achieve well. Standards currently are average in Year 6 and this represents good progress by this group of pupils. Teaching and learning are good and the staff take very good care of the pupils. Good leadership and management fosters effective teamwork and maintains a good balance between the drive to improve standards and nurturing pupils’ personal development so that they enjoy being at school. The school provides good value for money.

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The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

• The headteacher provides good leadership in fostering the effective teamwork and good teaching to meet the school’s aims. • Pupils achieve well and there is very good achievement in mathematics. • Pupils with special educational needs are doing very well because of very good support. • Pupils’ personal development is very good and they are very well cared for. • There is a very strong partnership with parents, who hold the school in high regard. • Pupils’ achievement in writing and investigative work in science in Years 3 to 6 should be better. • Pupils do not use information and communication technology (ICT) as much as they should to support their learning.

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The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

There has been good improvement since the school’s previous inspection in 1999 and pupils’ achievement is better than it was. There are much more effective procedures for checking how well pupils are doing in their work. Staff are better deployed to support pupils’ learning and so teaching is better than it was. While the accommodation has been improved, it remains limited.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Pupils’ achievement is good. Children in the Reception year are achieving well, from a lower than average starting point. They are on track to meet the goals set for their age in all areas of learning and to exceed them in their personal, social and emotional development.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

all schools similar schools Results in National Curriculum tests at the end of Year 6, compared with: 2002 2003 2004 2004 English A A B D Mathematics A* A A B Science B C C E Key: A - well above average; B – above average; C – average; D – below average; E – well below average Similar schools are those whose pupils attained similarly at the end of Year 2.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

A small number of pupils take the tests each year and so data about their performance in tests needs to be viewed with caution. Results for eleven year olds in 2004 were above average in English, well above average in mathematics and average in science compared to all schools. Although it looks as if pupils in 2004 did not do as well as might have been expected, given their results in tests as seven year olds, the school’s tracking of the pupils’ progress indicates that they made good progress. The current Year 6 is a lower attaining year group, with a quarter of pupils having special educational needs, and they are achieving well to reach average standards in English and science and doing very well to reach above average standards in mathematics. Nevertheless, pupils in Years 3 to 6 are not making the best possible progress in writing and some more able pupils at the top of the school should be achieving more in investigative work in science.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Standards in reading, writing and mathematics are well above average in Year 2 and above average Hanging Heaton CE (VC) Junior and Infant School - 8 in science. This is a more able group of pupils and they are achieving well. Pupils of all ages who have special educational needs achieve very well because of very effective support. Gifted and talented pupils achieve well. Standards are average in ICT and achievement is satisfactory. Standards in religious education are above average in Year 2 and average in Year 6 and pupils’ achievement is good. Pupils do well in geography. They do very well in dance in Year 6.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Pupils’ personal development is very good . Pupils’ social and moral development is very good. Their spiritual and cultural development is good but some opportunities are missed to enhance pupils’ awareness of different cultures. Behaviour, relationships, attitudes to learning and attendance are all very good and support pupils’ good progress. Pupils value their friendships and reflect the very good example that adults set for them in showing courtesy and respect for others.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The school provides a good quality education. Teaching and learning are good and have some very good features. Teaching encourages and enthuses pupils and there are high expectations of behaviour. Relationships are very good. Teaching assistants work very well as part of the team and support for pupils with special educational needs is very effective. Homework is very well organised and pupils are keen to do it. Assessments are usually well used to establish what pupils of all abilities need to work on next. As a result, pupils make good progress. Teaching in mathematics is very good. While teaching in English is good, marking of writing does not always help pupils understand how to improve and teaching of spelling is not consistently promoting good progress in Years 3 to 6. Teaching does not always enable more able pupils to use their own ideas in investigations in science. There is a good quality curriculum that enables pupils to use and extend

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

their skills in literacy and numeracy well in other subjects but pupils do not use ICT as frequently as they should. The curriculum for personal, social and health education is very good. There is a good range of activities outside normal lessons. The school takes very good care of pupils and they know where to turn to if they have difficulties. There is a very good partnership with parents, and there are good links with other schools and the community.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Leadership and management are good. The headteacher provides good leadership and ensures that everyone knows what they are aiming for to better promote pupils’ achievement and personal development. Key staff give good support and there is a strong team approach and high morale. This has meant that the initiatives to improve systems for assessing pupils’ progress and target setting have been readily embraced by staff and are effective. The school has identified what it needs to do to further improve through its good analysis of data and checks on teaching and learning. Subject managers effectively feed what they find through their checks on provision into the school’s planning for improvement. The governance of the school is good and all statutory requirements are met. Governors ensure that money is used wisely to support priorities for development and to promote inclusion. They have a good understanding of the school’s strengths

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PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Parents are very pleased with the school and the way that it builds their children’s confidence and enjoyment in learning. Pupils know that their views are valued and are very enthusiastic about school life. They appreciate the efforts made by staff to provide a wide range of activities outside normal lessons.

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

Improve pupils’ achievement in writing and investigative work in science in Years 3 to 6. Improve opportunities for pupils to use ICT to support their learning. Hanging Heaton CE (VC) Junior and Infant School - 9

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Standards achieved in areas of learning and subjects

Pupils’ achievement is good, overall, and standards are average by the age of eleven in English and science and above average in mathematics.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils make good progress throughout the school. • Children in the Reception year achieve very well in their personal, social and emotional development. • Pupils with special educational needs achieve very well. • Achievement in mathematics is very good. • Pupils’ writing and their investigative work in science should be better in Years 3 to 6.

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Commentary

1. There has been good improvement. Pupils’ overall achievement is better than it was at the previous inspection, and boys do as well as girls. Pupils generally enter the school with below average attainment, particularly in language and literacy. Children’s achievement is good in the Reception year, and they are on track to reach the goals set for their age in all areas of learning by the end of the year. Many are on course to exceed the expectations for their age in personal, social and emotional development. This is because of the very good teaching in this area of learning that sets high expectations for behaviour, and varied and effective strategies to promote children’s independence and confidence.

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Commentary

2. The trend in standards for pupils at the end of Year 2 has been above the national trend. Results in 2004 were similarly as good as those over the past three years. For Year 6 pupils the trend in standards was in line with the national trend up to 2003 but dropped below it in 2004. Mathematics is a stronger aspect in standards over time in results for Year 6 pupils. A small number of pupils at this school take the tests each year and so data about results in tests needs to be looked at with caution as one pupil’s results represents about five per cent of the total. Results for eleven year olds in 2004 were above average in English, well above average in mathematics and average in science compared to all schools. Not all of the pupils taking the tests in 2004 were in the school as seven year olds. The school has a higher proportion of pupils with special educational needs than most schools and some of these pupils join the

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Commentary

school later than the usual time, often because of the school’s good reputation for its provision. Although it looks from the data as if pupils in 2004 did not do as well as might have been expected given their results in tests when they were at the end of Year 2, the school’s tracking of the pupils’ progress indicates that they made good progress.

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Commentary

3. The current Year 6 is a lower attaining year group, with a quarter of pupils having special educational needs, and pupils are achieving well to reach average standards in English and science and doing very well to reach above average standards in mathematics. In Years 3, 4 and 5, standards are much higher, reflecting the different cohorts. Pupils use their skills in literacy and numeracy well to support their learning in other subjects. Nevertheless, pupils in Years 3 to 6 are not making the best possible progress in writing because they lack strategies to help them improve spelling or to check through their work to correct mistakes in punctuation and grammar. More able pupils should be achieving more in investigative work in science. Although achievement for these pupils is satisfactory, they lack opportunities to make better progress through using their ideas and exploring different ways of approaching investigative

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Commentary

work. The school’s very small number of gifted and talented junior age pupils are achieving well because their specific needs are taken into account. Hanging Heaton CE (VC) Junior and Infant School - 10 4. Standards in reading, writing and mathematics are well above average in Year 2 and above average in science. This is a more able group of pupils and they are achieving well because the work is pitched at a challenging level for them.

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Commentary

5. Standards are average in ICT in Year 2 and Year 6 and pupils’ achievement is satisfactory; however, pupils lack opportunities in Years 3 to 6 to use and extend their skills in ICT in their daily work in other subjects. Standards in religious education are above average in Year 2 and average in Year 6 and pupils’ achievement is good throughout the school. There are good standards in dance in Year 6 that are supported by specialist teaching from the local secondary school.

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Commentary

6. Pupils with special educational needs achieve very well throughout the school and make very good progress because their needs are quickly identified and well supported. The specific programmes that are followed to help pupils are very effective in boosting their skills in literacy and numeracy.

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Commentary

Standards in national tests at the end of Year 2 – average point scores in 2004

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Commentary

Standards in: School results National results Reading 17.6 (18.4) 15.8 (15.7) Writing 16.1 (16.8) 14.6 (14.6) Mathematics 18.3 (19.4) 16.2 (16.3) There were 20 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year

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Commentary

Standards in national tests at the end of Year 6 – average point scores in 2004

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Commentary

Standards in: School results National results English 27.9 (28.6) 26.9 (26.8) Mathematics 29.3 (28.6) 27.0 (26.8) Science 29.0 (29.2) 28.6 (28.6) There were 21 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

Pupils’ attitudes and their behaviour are very good. Their personal development, including their social, moral, cultural and spiritual development, is very good, overall. Attendance is very good and punctuality is good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils are keen to come to school and relationships are very good. • The high expectations by the staff are reflected in pupils’ very good behaviour. • Pupils enjoy helping each other and show respect, politeness and tolerance. • Some opportunities are missed to fully extend pupils’ awareness of different cultures.

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Commentary

7. Pupils’ moral development is very good. They behave very well because of the clear guidelines provided by the staff and high expectations placed upon them to display common sense and respect for others. There have been no exclusions in recent years. Pupils cope very well with the cramped conditions in the school, moving around sensibly and showing consideration for others. Pupils approach work enthusiastically because they want to learn and do their best. Pupils’ social development is very well promoted. They enjoy working and playing together and Formatted: Bullets and Numbering Hanging Heaton CE (VC) Junior and Infant School - 11 take pride in being part of the school’s community. Older pupils take good care of the younger ones and say that this is their first responsibility in school. Year 6 pupils show a very good level of maturity and understanding of the importance of living together harmoniously. As part of

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Commentary

their programme of personal and social development, they have used the Internet to research about bullying and how this can be prevented. Pupils take these matters seriously and have confidence that they can deal with situations in which they are put under any pressure to deviate from what they know is right. Children learn right from the start in the Reception year that helping others leads to a happy school in which everyone feels secure and valued. Pupils with special educational needs take a full part in all aspects of school life. Effective support from teaching assistants and very good relationships with classmates and adults build up their self-esteem and confidence.

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Commentary

8. Pupils’ spiritual and moral development is good. Pupils have plenty of opportunity to reflect on what is important to them, such as friendship and family, in assemblies and at other times in lessons. In religious education lessons, pupils consider how people’s lives are shaped by their beliefs and gain a good understanding of how to examine their own principles. Pupils’ understanding of their own cultural heritage is very good and supported through work in music, art and design, history and geography as well as in religious education. Their understanding of different religious beliefs is reasonably promoted but there have been no recent visits other than to Christian places of worship. Pupils’ awareness of the contribution made by different cultures to art and design is limited.

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Commentary

9. Attendance is very good. There was no unauthorised absence last year. There has been year- on-year improvement in attendance over the last three years and attendance is better than at the time of the previous inspection because of effective systems to check on and promote attendance. Punctuality is good.

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Attendance

Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

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Attendance

Authorised absence Unauthorised absence School data 3.7 School data 0.0 National data 5.4 National data 0.4 The table gives the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

The quality of education provided is good. There is a good curriculum that is enriched through extra activities and visits. Teaching and learning are good and predominantly meet most pupils’ different needs well. The school takes very good care of pupils. There are very good links with parents, and good links with other schools and the community.

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Teaching and learning

Teaching, learning and assessment are good and there are some very good features.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The use of assessment to group pupils of different abilities in the mixed age classes very effectively supports teaching but there is a lack of challenge for some more able pupils in science investigations. • Teaching motivates pupils to learn, homework is very well organised and there are high expectations of behaviour and application. • Reception children’s personal, social and emotional development is very well supported. Hanging Heaton CE (VC) Junior and Infant School - 12 • Teaching for pupils with special educational needs and teaching in mathematics are very effective. • Marking of writing is not as consistently helpful as it should be in Years 3 to 6.

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Commentary

10. The school’s good management has ensured a firm focus on improving assessment procedures to support teaching. This has resulted in good improvement since the previous inspection because of the more effective use of assessments to pinpoint the stage that pupils are at in learning and to plan the next steps needed to move them on. This means that pupils of different ages and abilities in the same class are grouped very successfully and work is pitched at the right level for them to promote their good achievement. Teachers look carefully at how well different groups of pupils have done in lessons and adapt subsequent work to match emerging needs. Pupils want to learn because they meet with success. They respond very well to adults’ high expectations of behaviour and hard work. This means that classrooms have an atmosphere that is conducive to learning. Pupils are keen to complete homework because it is relevant and extends work done during the day. Pupils know that their efforts will

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Commentary

be valued and that they will get feedback about work completed at home. More able pupils do well in most aspects of their work but do not get enough opportunities to devise investigations by using their own ideas in science in Years 3 to 6.

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Commentary

11. Teaching is very good for Reception children’s personal, social and emotional development. Adults know exactly what individual children need to grow in confidence. They support children’s independence very well by planning work that nurtures skills in co-operation and investigation. Very effective organisation of resources, clear guidance and well-established routines mean that children know what to do and how to get on without direct supervision when they need to.

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Commentary

12. Pupils with special educational needs are fully involved in lessons and therefore make very good progress. This is because pupils are carefully assessed and their work is very well matched to their needs. They receive very effective support from well-briefed teaching assistants within class. Teaching assistants also work very well with small groups or individuals and effectively develop their basic literacy and numeracy skills.

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Commentary

13. Teaching of mathematics is very good because of the fast pace of lessons and very high expectations combined with a sense of fun and challenge that pupils find enjoyable. Year 6 pupils, for example, talk about how they want to beat their own times for completing mental tasks and their sense of achievement when they succeed.

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Commentary

14. Teaching in English is good, with particular strengths in the use of assessment in reading and the very effective promotion of pupils’ speaking and listening. There are some very good examples of marking that help pupils to improve their writing, but this is not always the case and pupils in Years 3 to 6 sometimes lack specific guidance to help improve aspects such as spelling.

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Commentary

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 18 lessons

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Commentary

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very poor

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Commentary

The table gives the number of lessons observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about lessons.

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The curriculum

The school provides a good curriculum that caters well for the needs of its pupils. A good range of activities extends pupils’ learning experiences. Accommodation and resources are satisfactory. Hanging Heaton CE (VC) Junior and Infant School - 13

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils with special educational needs have very good access to the curriculum and so make very good progress. • There is a very good curriculum for pupils’ personal, social and health education. • There are insufficient planned opportunities for some pupils to use their ideas in science and to use ICT across the curriculum. • A good range of additional activities extends and enriches pupils’ skills.

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Commentary

15. There has been overall good improvement since the previous inspection. Improvements have been made to the accommodation for the youngest children, and the curriculum for Reception children is well planned to get them off to a good start in their personal, social and emotional development so that they establish good work habits and firm foundations in most basic skills.

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Commentary

16. All the necessary guidance is in place to support teachers’ planning throughout the school. Weekly planning is detailed and addresses the needs of all pupils, including those who are gifted and talented. Good management ensures that action plans for subjects focus on areas for development and feed through to the school’s overall planning for improvement. In science, for example, a greater emphasis on investigations and use of scientific vocabulary has developed pupils’ scientific skills. However, there is still insufficient opportunity for older, more able pupils to use their own ideas in investigative work.

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Commentary

17. The school’s accommodation is cramped and computers are mainly sited in the hall, as there is very little room in classrooms; this restricts pupils’ access to ICT. The school’s planning to extend its facilities to include a computer suite have been frustrated by circumstances beyond its control, but options are being re-considered. While there is clear evidence that ICT is mainly used satisfactorily, there are still too few opportunities planned for its use in mathematics, science and art and design.

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Commentary

18. Provision for pupils with special educational needs is very good and they make very good progress in their learning. This is because clearly defined targets in their individual education plans help teachers to plan for and provide well-matched activities within lessons. Support from teaching assistants during whole-class sessions ensures that pupils access the lesson content and are fully involved in learning.

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Commentary

19. There is very good curriculum provision for pupils’ personal, social and health education. A very good scheme of work addresses all strands and a specific period is allocated on the weekly timetable. Elements of the subject are also well covered in science. Pupils are required to ‘apply’ for monitor jobs and willingly accept and carry out their responsibilities. Participation in the school council provides opportunity for pupils to contribute to the life of the school and develop their role as citizens. Pupils are also encouraged to consider environmental issues, as seen in a geography lesson where Year 5 and 6 pupils considered the impact of traffic re- routing. The positive ethos and very good relationships within the school develop appropriate personal and social skills and these help pupils to co-operate and support each other in lessons. As Year 6 pupils stated, “The most important rule in the school is to look after others.”

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Commentary

20. A good range of visits and visitors helps to support and enrich pupils’ learning experiences in history, geography and science but visits to extend their awareness of different cultures are more limited. Extra-curricular activities extend pupils’ skills in football, singing, dancing and art and crafts. Clubs for gardening, bird watching and chess widen pupils’ interests and learning opportunities.

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Care, guidance and support

Hanging Heaton CE (VC) Junior and Infant School - 14 The school cares for the pupils very well. The support for their personal and academic development is good and pupils thrive and are happy in a safe and secure environment.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The staff look after the pupils very well and provide good support that enables pupils to become independent and grow in confidence. • Relationships between staff and pupils are very good and children are very well supported as they start school. • Pupils’ views are effectively sought and acted upon.

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Commentary

21. Staff provide a high level of support and pupils are very well looked after. This is a similar picture to that at the time of the previous inspection. The school is a friendly community and pupils are happy and secure, and enjoy their school life. Children get very good support when they first join the school, with home visits by staff and taster sessions easing their start in full time education. The very good relationships that exist mean that pupils have confidence to share their worries with staff knowing they will get a sympathetic hearing. Such relationships play a key role in maintaining this friendly but purposeful ethos of the school. Personal development of the pupils is well promoted through individual support and also through the curriculum, assemblies and the high expectations that teachers have. Support for pupils’ learning is good and effective assessment procedures ensure that the specific needs of each

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Commentary

individual pupil are met. The school has very good systems in place to quickly identify the needs of pupils who have specific difficulties. Teaching assistants are well briefed and help pupils overcome difficulties in lessons. Because of these factors, pupils with special needs enjoy lessons and make very good progress.

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Commentary

22. Procedures to ensure pupils’ safety are very good. Risk assessment is carried out for visits and a wide range of school activities, and these are reviewed annually. Child protection procedures are very good.

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Commentary

23. Pupils’ views are regularly sought on issues such as ‘how can the school be made better’. School council members gather their classmates’ opinions and debate such issues at their weekly meetings. Issues can also be raised through a suggestion box. Through these procedures pupils have initiated a number of changes – such as the introduction of a tuck shop and healthy eating days. All these activities help develop the pupils’ self-confidence and maturity and significantly boost their self-esteem.

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Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

The school has a very good partnership with parents and good links with the community and other local schools.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Parents have a high regard for the school and appreciate the education it provides for their children. • Parents get good information about their children’s progress and contribute very well to their learning at home and at school. • Good links with the community and other local schools widen the pupils’ horizons and benefit their learning.

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Commentary

24. Parents are extremely supportive of the school and very happy with the education their children get. This is a similar picture to that at the time of the previous inspection. Parents Hanging Heaton CE (VC) Junior and Infant School - 15 strongly agree that pupils are happy in school and treated fairly by staff, are well taught, are expected to work hard and make good progress. They find the school easy to approach and approve of the settling in arrangements for pupils and they commend the pupils’ good behaviour. The inspection findings entirely endorse these views.

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Commentary

25. The school provides good information to parents on their children’s progress and on matters of general interest. Helpful information is provided when children start in the Reception class, giving clear details of what to expect and suggestions on how parents can help their children at home. Pupils’ annual reports give parents specific details on the standards achieved and effort made. Newsletters and the school’s website provide good information about what is being learned and about school activities.

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Commentary

26. Many parents provide very good support to their children’s work at home. They appreciate the regular homework regime and most help their children with it. A good number of parents help in the classroom on a regular basis and there is good support also for outside trips. The school does not formally seek parents’ views of the school but is planning to do so and parents find the school very welcoming and find it easy to talk about any concerns they may have. The Friends’ Association is active and raises significant funds that help to provide additional resources, including a computer whiteboard and a stage for the hall, which benefit the pupils’ learning.

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Commentary

27. The school uses the community widely to support the curriculum. Local clergy take assemblies and pupils attend services at the start and end of each year as well as some festivals. Visits and visitors give pupils a taste of life outside school and add enjoyment to the curriculum. The school choir sings in the church and has entertained local senior citizens. Local football and rugby teams provide sports coaching and pupils take part in matches in football and cross- country running. The school also has good relationships with other local schools. Joint training sessions are held with other schools in the same ‘pyramid’ and curriculum discussions take place with the secondary college to help ensure pupils get a smooth transition. The college helps the school directly, for example by providing high quality support for computing and dance activities and by its involvement with the training of support staff. All of these factors

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Leadership and management are good. The school is well led by the headteacher, who is well supported by key staff. The management and governance of the school are good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The leadership of the headteacher ensures a good balance between promoting pupils’ personal development and standards. • A strong team approach ensures that all who work in the school are fully informed, supported and involved. • The subject managers are making good use of data to improve pupils’ achievement. • The governing body is very supportive and well informed. • Checks on the implementation of the school’s marking policy have not been sufficiently rigorous. • Management of the curriculum has not yet ensured that ICT is used as much as it could be to support teaching and learning in other subjects.

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Commentary

28. The school has maintained the good leadership and management at the last inspection. The headteacher provides good leadership for the school. Her clear vision ensures that there is an equal emphasis on the drive to raise standards as well as encouraging and motivating all the pupils through a strong commitment to their personal development. She is fully supported by Hanging Heaton CE (VC) Junior and Infant School - 16 all staff and there is a strong team approach and high morale. The way in which all adults at the school work together, trust and support each other are key factors in the school’s success. Staff feel valued, are well informed and are involved in the running of the school. The teachers benefit from constructive feedback about their teaching and know what needs to improve. The very good relationships amongst staff mean that expertise is shared willingly and good practice is well disseminated. The school has a very positive atmosphere, and a strong commitment to

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Commentary

inclusion of pupils of different abilities and aptitudes and this is why pupils achieve well.

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Commentary

29. The headteacher and the subject leaders play a key role in monitoring the school’s work and in identifying priorities for development. This has resulted in good overall improvement since the previous inspection. Long-term planning for improvement is well thought out and is reflected in a good school development plan. This clearly outlines the main priorities drawn from the school’s checks on provision and includes those areas identified for improvement in this report. Managers check what is happening in subjects and in key aspects of the school’s work. Their use of assessment data to set challenging targets for different groups of pupils is particularly effective. The recently introduced target setting, where pupils are set particular individual targets that are relevant to each pupil, are beginning to contribute to achievement and have been received enthusiastically by the pupils. The school has not been as prompt in ensuring

p.16

Commentary

that its marking policy is consistently applied and followed or in ensuring that ICT is used more to support teaching and learning in other subjects, particularly in mathematics, science and art.

p.16

Commentary

30. Leadership and management of special educational needs are very good. The co-ordinator is very well organised and administers and maintains appropriate records. Detailed individual education plans identify targets, resources and teaching and learning strategies and the co- ordinator effectively monitors teaching and learning and checks that pupils’ needs are met within lessons. The progress of individual pupils is also tracked and recorded.

p.16

Commentary

31. The governance of the school is good. Finances are well directed to support the school’s priorities. The governing body takes its role seriously and ensures that all statutory requirements are met. Governors are well informed about the school’s strengths and weaknesses and a good number of governors come into school on a regular basis to support the school as well as gain a first hand overview of the school’s work. The committees are effective, and enable the governors to use their individual and collective expertise well.

p.16

Financial information

Financial information for the year April 2002 to March 2003

p.16

Financial information

Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) Total income 356691 Balance from previous year 16308 Total expenditure 362474 Balance carried forward to the next 10525 Expenditure per pupil 2482 Hanging Heaton CE (VC) Junior and Infant School - 17

p.16

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

32. There has been good improvement in provision since the last inspection because of good leadership and management for this area of the school’s provision. The accommodation for children in the Reception year has been improved and they are making better progress because of improvements to assessment procedures and the use of these checks to match work to different needs. Reception children are taught with the younger Year 1 pupils and the curriculum is well planned to take account of their particular needs. The teaching assistant knows exactly what to do to support children’s learning, and activities are lively and practical so that children want to learn. Teaching and learning are good and children achieve well, from a generally lower than average starting point on entry.

p.17

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in personal, social and emotional development is very good .

p.17

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The staff know the children very well and give them what they need to feel secure, valued and confident. • The staff’s high expectations of behaviour and hard work meet with a very positive response from children.

p.17

Commentary

33. Teaching is very good and children achieve very well. Most are on track to go beyond the goals for their age by the start of Year 1. The children meet adults’ high expectations of behaviour, politeness and co-operation with a very positive response. The warm and supportive relationships in the classroom mean that children feel secure and gain confidence to voice opinions. They know that help will be at hand if needed but also that they are expected to have a go at activities before seeking support. Children are keen to set about work because adults explain clearly what they have to do and the activities are interesting. Resources are very well organised so that children can access them easily and develop independence. Adults praise children’s efforts but also guide them to improve and so children want to do their best.

p.17

COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Provision in communication, language and literacy is good .

p.17

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children’s speaking, listening and reading develop very well because of very effective teaching. • There are too few opportunities for some children to practise letter formation.

p.17

Commentary

34. Teaching is good and children achieve well. Most are on track to reach the goals for their age by the start of Year 1. A particular strength in teaching is the way in which vocabulary is identified and taught precisely, so that children talk confidently about their work in all areas of learning, using the correct terms. Effective questioning during introductions to sessions means that children’s understanding of words is checked and that new vocabulary is practised. Children quickly learn the sounds of letters and recognise familiar words for the early books in the reading scheme because of very effective teaching. Thorough assessment of children’s Hanging Heaton CE (VC) Junior and Infant School - 18 progress in reading is very well used to plan the next steps. Although children have good opportunities to record their ideas, both formally and through play activities, those who do not readily grasp forming letters correctly do not have sufficient practice to help them overcome

p.17

MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in mathematical development is good .

p.18

Main strengths and weaknesses

• There are plenty of practical activities that motivate children. • Teaching promotes children’s mathematical vocabulary very well but does not always provide written words so that children can learn to recognise these and incorporate them in recording.

p.18

Commentary

35. Most children are on track to reach the goals for their age by the start of Year 1. The good teaching provides a good level of challenge and children achieve well. Number games and rhymes are incorporated so that children confidently count and order up to ten. Children enjoy a good range of practical activities that bring learning to life. In one session, for example, the children searched the school environment for examples after learning about the properties of two and three-dimensional shapes. Mathematical vocabulary is very well promoted through teaching and children correctly use relative terms for size, for example when they measure or compare objects. The written words for terms, however, are not always displayed, as in one session when a few more able children could not refer to words for shapes when they recorded work and realised that they did not know how to spell them.

p.18

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Provision in knowledge and understanding of the world is good .

p.18

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The very effective practical experiences widen children’s capacity for learning. • Some opportunities are missed to provide labelling to boost children’s word recognition.

p.18

Commentary

36. Teaching is good and children achieve well. Most are on track to reach the goals for their age by the start of Year 1. Teaching ensures that children learn through doing and that they know the words to talk about what they have learned. This was evident when children spoke about how toys from the past differed from modern toys, and how they made clay divas. More able children explained how an object can be shiny or dull, but that shiny objects relied on a light to display this property. Children are quick to offer ideas about why things are as they are because adults ask pertinent questions that probe their thinking. In one session, for example, the teacher asked children to explain why a grater needed to be used carefully and they replied that it had rough edges that could damage their fingers. There are interesting displays to stimulate children’s curiosity but a lack of labels to help them recognise relevant words.

p.18

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in physical development is satisfactory .

p.18

Main strengths and weaknesses

Hanging Heaton CE (VC) Junior and Infant School - 19 • Good use is made of demonstration by children in physical education lessons to help others understand how to improve. • There are limited facilities for outdoor play.

p.19

Commentary

37. Teaching and learning are good and children achieve well, even though there are limited facilities for outdoor play because of lack of space to allow climbing equipment or the use of wheeled vehicles for play. Teaching is well planned, however, to enable children to gain experience of moving to music, practising with small equipment such as balls and hoops on the playground and using a range of tools in the classroom. In one session, good use was made of demonstration by pairs of children in throwing and catching balls to help others improve their skills. Most children are on track to reach the goals for their age by the start of Year 1. Assessments are well used to pinpoint those children who need extra support in learning to hold tools correctly and appropriate action is taken to remedy problems.

p.19

CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Provision in creative development is good .

p.19

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Imaginative play builds very well on what children have learned in other areas. • Children work in a good range of media. • Occasionally, they lack choice over the scale of their work.

p.19

Commentary

38. Teaching is good and children achieve well. Most are on course to reach the goals for their age by the start of Year 1. The children’s learning benefits from well-resourced areas for imaginative play in which children can take on roles as characters or manipulate toys to enact scenes. Children’s learning about winter, for example, was used to create a North Pole area in which children could act as explorers as well as Santa Claus. Children work with a good range of materials, including clay, collage, pastel and paint, as well as modelling with recycled material. Their pastel work depicting nocturnal animals linked very well with work on light and dark. Their houses based on photographs taken in the locality showed great individuality in design and construction and linked very well to work on the environment. Sometimes, however, children lack some choice over the size of modelling or representing images because

p.19

Commentary

adults make decisions about the scale in which children work.

p.19

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teaching promotes pupils’ speaking and listening very well. • Assessment is well used to group pupils of different abilities in mixed age classes so that work is pitched at the right level. • Pupils with special educational needs do very well throughout the school. • Pupils use their skills in language and literacy well in other subjects. • Marking of writing in Years 3 to 6 is not consistently helpful to pupils. • There is not a consistent strategy for teaching spelling.

p.19

Commentary

Hanging Heaton CE (VC) Junior and Infant School - 20 39. There has been good improvement since the last inspection. Standards are well above average in reading and writing, speaking and listening in Year 2, which is a very able group of pupils. Standards in Year 6 are at an average level in all of these aspects. This represents good achievement for both groups of pupils. Pupils’ handwriting reaches a good standard by the time they leave and reflects the school’s initiative to improve presentation and raise teachers’ expectations.

p.20

Commentary

40. Systems for assessing pupils’ progress and setting targets have been improved. This means that teaching has a firm basis upon which to group pupils of different ages in the same class and to effectively plan work that meets different needs. This good use of assessment extends to guided reading sessions, where pupils’ progress within the group is carefully noted and used to adapt subsequent teaching. Pupils with special educational needs do very well because their needs are closely met through very effective support. The school’s gifted and talented pupils make good progress.

p.20

Commentary

41. Teaching is good and so pupils learn at a good rate. There is some very effective teaching. Pupils listen carefully to adults and have plenty of opportunities to talk about their ideas, so that they know what they want to write. In one lesson, more able Year 2 pupils quickly wrote descriptions, such as “The salty sea splashes on the stone hard rocks and races towards the sandy, pebbly beach”, after looking at photographs. Their confidence in writing had been very successfully supported by the teacher’s clear explanation of how to make more impact through the use of evocative words. In another very successful lesson with Year 4 and 5 pupils, teaching enabled pupils of all abilities to use what they had learned about instructional writing in an enjoyable way, as they first discussed different ways of approaching tasks and then wrote recipes or rules for games.

p.20

Commentary

42. There is some very effective marking that sets out clearly what pupils need to do next in Years 1 and 2 but pupils in Years 3 to 6 do not always get the guidance that they need to help them improve their writing. There is also often repeated correction of the same spellings in work and although some pupils know what to do, most are not sure how to respond to the correction and so the teachers’ effort is wasted. Some teaching gives pupils a clear strategy to use when facing unknown spellings, but this is not consistent throughout the school and too many pupils rely on simply being told by an adult.

p.20

Commentary

43. There is good leadership and management of the subject. The subject manager sets a very good example in her teaching. Effective checking has identified important areas of weakness and dealt with them. This has meant that teaching now identifies opportunities for pupils to use their skills in writing across the curriculum and that pupils read a wider range of texts. The checks made on the effectiveness of marking and consistency with which teaching uses strategies to improve pupils’ spelling have been less robust.

p.20

Language and literacy across the curriculum

44. Pupils use their skills in language and literacy well across other subjects because there is good planning to ensure that relevant opportunities are identified. Pupils in Year 6, for example, research into famous people’s lives in history and write well-organised biographies that capture essential facts. They use the specific vocabulary learned in other subjects well in discussion, for example ‘pasteurisation’ as an example of an important discovery in Victorian times. Pupils use ICT competently to edit and present their work.

p.20

MATHEMATICS

The provision in mathematics is very good .

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils’ achievement is very good in all year groups. Hanging Heaton CE (VC) Junior and Infant School - 21 • The interesting and challenging work means that all pupils enjoy their work. • Teaching is very good throughout the school so that all pupils learn very well. • Assessment systems are very good and used very well, so pupils of all abilities are suitably challenged. • The leadership of the subject is very good. • Pupils do not use ICT enough to support their learning.

p.20

Commentary

45. There has been good improvement since the last inspection in both standards and teaching. By the end of Year 6 standards in mathematics are above average, despite this year group having a quarter of pupils with special educational needs. In Year 2 standards are well above average. What is even more impressive is that standards have consistently been so high over the previous four years. This is because a much greater proportion of pupils attain at the higher levels in both the juniors and especially the infants, than is seen in most schools. Equally, very small numbers of pupils achieve at the lower levels. Gifted and talented pupils do very well because of very challenging tasks.

p.21

Commentary

46. The teaching and learning of the subject are a major strength of the school. This is reflected in the high standards of presentation and considerable amount of work in the pupils’ mathematics books. Many pupils say mathematics is their favourite subject and they respond very well to the interesting and challenging work they do. They are eager to do their homework, which is very well planned to support what they have learned in school. The pupils know their tables and number facts very well. As they get older the speed of their mental calculations increases and they use this skill very effectively, making their work quick and efficient. Pupils use a range of approaches to solve number problems. By Year 6, the majority of pupils have developed their own strategies for problem solving and try out their own ways of checking the accuracy of their answers.

p.21

Commentary

47. The quality of teaching throughout the school is very good. Work is at exactly the right level for the pupils but still challenges them. This is because all teachers plan work very thoroughly and make sure it matches the abilities of all pupils whether they are very able at mathematics or find the subject difficult. The teachers are able to do this because the school has very good systems for assessing pupils’ abilities. The new individual targets are also beginning to work very well and teachers give very good feedback in marking. Skilled teaching assistants work alongside teachers very effectively to support groups and enable pupils to have access to a knowledgeable adult who quickly sorts out any difficulties they may encounter. This particularly benefits pupils who have special educational needs.

p.21

Commentary

48. The accurate use of mathematical vocabulary is promoted well throughout the school. Good use is made of interactive whiteboards to allow information to be presented very quickly and clearly. A good example of this was when a graph showing temperatures over several nights and days was discussed and manipulated increasing the Year 5 and 6 pupils’ understanding of interpreting data and negative numbers.

p.21

Commentary

49. The only weakness in the subject is that pupils do not make use of ICT sufficiently such as when presenting data or using spreadsheets. This is because there are limited times when computers are available.

p.21

Commentary

50. The leadership and management of the subject are very good. Lessons have been observed, with useful feedback to improve teaching. The right priorities have been identified, such as a greater use of ICT. A particular strength is the way the subject manager has helped colleagues with planning and preparation of resources where she has judged that this is necessary. There has recently been introduced a more focused assessment system, which enables pupils to achieve very well by applying and working on their individual targets. The subject manager has a highly detailed knowledge of how the subject is taught and is constantly looking at ways to raise standards even further. Hanging Heaton CE (VC) Junior and Infant School - 22

p.21

Mathematics across the curriculum

51. Pupils use mathematics very well as part of their work in most other subjects and consequently develop an appreciation of the practical uses of these skills. For example, they use graphs and tables to record data in science, draw and measure in design and technology and use time lines in history.

p.22

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils have very good attitudes because teachers provide interesting activities. • An improved emphasis on investigations is developing pupils’ scientific skills. However, there are insufficient opportunities for more able, older pupils to be creative in designing their own experiments. • Detailed planning and teachers’ good subject knowledge ensure pupils acquire a good scientific vocabulary. • Good leadership and management check teaching and learning and pupils’ progress.

p.22

Commentary

52. There has been satisfactory improvement since the previous inspection. Standards in Year 2 are above the expected levels for their age. In Year 6 standards are average. Overall this represents good achievement. Pupils with special educational needs achieve as well as their peers because teaching is adapted to meet their needs and they get good support from teaching assistants. Standards are similar to those seen at the last inspection.

p.22

Commentary

53. Pupils achieve well because teaching overall is good. Lessons are planned in detail, key questions and vocabulary are identified and activities are well matched to pupils’ needs. Pupils’ enthusiasm for the subject is stimulated and this coupled with high expectations of behaviour helps to develop a good attitude to learning and time is therefore used well in lessons.

p.22

Commentary

54. From an early stage, there is a good balance between the acquisition of knowledge, the development of vocabulary, and investigations and experiments. This was well demonstrated in a discussion with Year 2 pupils, who quickly classified different types of food and identified healthy and unhealthy fats. They named different types of materials and explained the difference between man-made and natural, and magnetic and non-magnetic, materials. In talking about a previous investigation, they explained how they had plotted the attributes of different materials and in another experiment the higher and average attainers had a reasoned explanation as to why some materials were waterproof.

p.22

Commentary

55. In a Year 3 and 4 lesson on investigating materials, very good subject knowledge gave the teacher the confidence to modify questioning to meet the needs of both lower attaining pupils and the gifted and talented. Subject-specific vocabulary was used at all times and well-led discussions helped clarify pupils’ understanding of the attributes of rigid and flexible materials. Very good use was made of an interactive whiteboard to model an experiment and this coupled with a guide sheet helped pupils to plan their own experiment. By the time pupils reach Years 5 and 6 they have a good understanding of the experimental process and what constitutes a fair test. However, there is insufficient opportunity for the more able pupils to be creative and to use what they know to design and plan their own experiments and thus achieve higher standards.

p.22

Commentary

56. Leadership and management of the subject are good and checks are made on the effectiveness of teaching and learning. These checks, as well as the introduction of an Hanging Heaton CE (VC) Junior and Infant School - 23 effective system for tracking pupils’ progress to identify areas for improvement, have boosted pupils’ achievement. A good action plan is in place and has already improved, for example, the use of scientific vocabulary in teaching. The manager also recognises that more able pupils in Years 3 to 6 should be doing even better in investigative work and has set in place recent initiatives, but it is too early to see the impact of these.

p.22

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Basic skills are taught well and pupils are confident in using computers. • Word-processing skills are used well to support learning in literacy. • Pupils have experience of using ICT in remote control and sensing but a limited understanding of how ICT is used in everyday life. • Some unreliable resources mean that pupils do not always achieve as well as they might. • ICT is used well for research purposes but there are insufficient planned opportunities to use ICT across the curriculum.

p.23

Commentary

57. By the end of Year 2 and Year 6, pupils reach the expected levels for their age. Standards are therefore similar to those seen at the last inspection. Overall, pupils’ achievement is satisfactory. Pupils with special educational needs make very good progress because well- briefed teaching assistants and adult helpers give good support to groups of pupils working on computers in the hall.

p.23

Commentary

58. Teaching overall is satisfactory. Detailed lesson plans identify key basic skills to be learned. Teaching assistants have been well trained to support groups of pupils in learning basic skills. Pupils are therefore confident in accessing programs, toolbars and drop down menus and in using these skills in word processing. By the end of Year 6 pupils are able to access information from other programs and paste to a word document and create a multi-media presentation. Pupils have experience of using a programmable toy and remote sensing devices and of modifying variables in games to change outcomes. However, their understanding of how ICT is used outside school and how it affects their everyday life is more limited.

p.23

Commentary

59. Leadership and management are satisfactory. Teachers make good use of the new interactive whiteboards because training has been successful. Plans are in place to purchase two more interactive boards. The limitations of the current resources, in terms of reliability, are been addressed through the support of an ICT technician from a local college. However, some problems remain and so pupils do not make as much progress as they might because access to computers is sometimes limited. Good assessment procedures have been introduced which track pupils’ progress and identify those who need additional support.

p.23

Information and communication technology across the curriculum

60. Satisfactory use is made of ICT across the curriculum. Pupils have reasonable opportunities to practise their ICT skills in a real context and these adequately support learning in other subjects. Word processing is used well to organise and present information for different purposes. For example, Year 2 pupils created a gift tag and Year 6 pupils described how they had created a news page about the effects of the Plague and have also produced a school magazine. They have produced multi-media presentations about their work on issues surrounding bullying. The Internet is used as a research tool in their work on geography and history. However, there are insufficient planned opportunities to fully integrate the use of ICT Hanging Heaton CE (VC) Junior and Infant School - 24 across the curriculum. Subsequently there is limited use of ICT to record and present data in science and numeracy.

p.23

History

61. No lessons were observed in history. It is not possible to make a judgement about overall provision, standards or the quality of teaching. However, the curriculum is effectively planned to take account of pupils’ different ages in the mixed age classes. Effective use is made of visits to museums and of the locality to support pupils’ learning of the Victorian period. They develop a good understanding of the impact of famous people on society such as Thomas Edison’s inventions and Dr Barnardo. Pupils use evidence to interpret the past such as in toys, photographs and census information. ICT is well used to research historical periods such as the Egyptians, Romans and the Tudors and provides good opportunities to develop ICT skills in relevant situations. Research information provides a good basis for pupils to write extended reports on what it was like to be a child working in the Victorian factories, or a Roman

p.24

History

legionary. This helps pupils to better understand the social conditions of these periods and how different people lived.

p.24

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teaching makes good use of resources to stimulate pupils’ interest. • Literacy skills are well used and extended in the subject. • There are times when the oldest, more able pupils lack opportunities to deepen their thinking.

p.24

Commentary

62. Two lessons were seen in Years 3 to 6 but none in Years 1 and 2 and so no judgement is made on teaching for younger pupils. Discussions with pupils and the analysis of their previous work and teachers’ planning indicate that pupils are working at the expected level for their ages in Year 2 and Year 6. Overall, pupils’ achievement is good. Pupils with special educational needs made very good progress in the lessons seen, because of very good support from teaching assistants. There has been good improvement since the previous inspection.

p.24

Commentary

63. Throughout the school, good use is made of resources to bring about enthusiasm for learning. For example, Year 2 pupils talk about how they used photographs to compare a distant location with their own locality. They used a good geographical vocabulary to describe similarities and differences. Teaching overall is good in Years 3 to 6. In a Year 3 and 4 lesson, pupils developed a very good understanding of world weather and man’s response to different climatic conditions as they discussed the contents of a suitcase. Well-matched activities, a challenging pace and good use of adult helpers with the lower attainers ensured all pupils made good progress. Good use was made in another lesson of an interactive whiteboard and a map-based website to develop Year 5 and 6 pupils’ mapping skills. Pupils made good progress in their interpretation of symbols on maps. However, there was insufficient time allowed for more able pupils to evaluate the impact on the community of

p.24

Commentary

closing designated roads to traffic and thus deepen their understanding of environmental issues. Pupils have good opportunities to use the Internet to research topics. Pupils use their literacy skills well used to organise writing in the subject and present information very well in different formats. Hanging Heaton CE (VC) Junior and Infant School - 25 64. Leadership and management are satisfactory and ensure that there is pertinent guidance to support teachers’ planning and that all strands of the subject are covered. Units of work are well organised to ensure continuity and progression for pupils in mixed year classes.

p.24

Religious education

Provision in religious education is good .

p.25

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils have good opportunities to explore their ideas and to understand how religious beliefs guide people’s lives, and they achieve well. • Pupils use their language and literacy skills well in the subject. • There are few visits other than to Christian places of worship.

p.25

Commentary

65. The situation is similar to that at the previous inspection. Standards are average in Year 6 and above average in Year 2. Pupils achieve well because they have good opportunities to talk about their ideas and think about important issues. Older pupils are sensitive to the ways in which religious beliefs affect the way in which people live their lives. The foundations for this understanding are well laid in the earlier years. Year 2 pupils, for example, explain that the stories that Jesus told have ‘important messages’ for them, such as looking after each other, forgiving others and sharing things. Year 6 pupils say that it is important to believe in something because this provides rules by which people’s lives are shaped. They understand that major world religions share some common principles but that there are also significant differences in practices.

p.25

Commentary

66. At present, there are few visits, other than to Christian places of worship, so that pupils can learn from first hand experience. Those visits that have been undertaken have had a profound effect on pupils and they remember the special atmosphere engendered, as well as details of ritual, architecture and artefacts.

p.25

Commentary

67. Teaching is good because pupils are encouraged to go beyond learning facts and use their spiritual and moral understanding to think about the consequences and implications of actions. This was seen in a very good lesson with Year 4 and 5 pupils, who worked in pairs to examine and explain quotations from Mother Teresa. Pupils listened carefully to each other’s ideas and quickly recorded their thoughts, sharing these confidently with the class at the end of the session.

p.25

Commentary

68. The subject is led and managed satisfactorily and plans are in hand to further extend visits to places of worship.

p.25

Art and design

69. No lessons were seen and so the subject was sampled through talking to pupils and looking at previous work. It is evident that pupils enjoy the subject and there are some good links with their work in other areas, such as history and religious education. Year 2 pupils have looked closely at texture in the natural environment and extended their ideas into collage and clay work very successfully. There is some good quality observational work in Years 4 and 5, where pupils used pastels to represent fruit. Year 5 and 6 pupils talk about the characteristics of African art and design and Islamic art, but overall, there are too few opportunities for pupils to extend their understanding of art and design from different cultures. The use of ICT to support pupils’ learning is limited. Hanging Heaton CE (VC) Junior and Infant School - 26

p.25

Design and technology

70. No lessons were seen in design and technology and there was insufficient evidence to make judgements about provision in this subject. Nevertheless, from looking at teachers’ planning and from discussions with the subject leader and pupils, it is evident that there is an interesting and well-planned curriculum. Good links are made with other subjects such as literacy when pupils design and make various food packaging. The pupils also speak enthusiastically about the food technology work they have covered and designing and making torches to support their work in science.

p.26

Physical education

71. Only one dance session was observed during the inspection, led by a dance instructor from the local secondary school. This showed that standards in dance are well above average in Year 6. The school’s facilities are limited as it does not have its own playing field and the hall is used for many other purposes besides physical education. However, good use is made of local facilities, such as the local cricket club’s field. The school also makes good use of specialist expertise in physical education using instructors and teachers from the local secondary school and other providers to develop the range and quality of opportunity in dance as well as in other areas of the curriculum. The very detailed and well-presented portfolio assembled by the subject leader shows that pupils enjoy a broad curriculum and have many opportunities to take part in a good range of activities both in school time and in after-school clubs. Pupils say that

p.26

Physical education

they enjoy taking part in activities that include coaching in football skills, cross-country running and a range of athletics.

p.26

Music

72. No lessons were seen and there was insufficient evidence to make a firm judgement about teaching and provision in this subject. However, from discussions with the subject leader and pupils, it is evident that the music curriculum and resources have improved since the previous inspection. The subject leader has very good knowledge and expertise. Two improvements since the previous inspection are that pupils now have opportunities to compose and the stock of percussion instruments has increased. Pupils speak with great enthusiasm about designing and making their own musical instruments and writing simple compositions to play on them. There is an active school choir and the tuneful singing heard during the inspection showed that pupils were able to moderate their voices and keep in rhythm.

p.26

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

73. No specific lessons were seen, but it is evident from talking to pupils about their work in this area that what they learn makes a lasting impression on them and is reflected in their very good understanding of the need to be fair and tolerant and yet stick to guiding principles. There is very good guidance for teaching in this area, and very effective management ensures that the scheme of work is covered in a vibrant manner to engage pupils. This is evident in the way in which pupils recall their work in this area and put into practice what they have learned. Hanging Heaton CE (VC) Junior and Infant School - 27

p.26

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The overall effectiveness of the school 3 How inclusive the school is 2 How the school’s effectiveness has changed since its last inspection 3 Value for money provided by the school 3

p.27

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Overall standards achieved 3 Pupils’ achievement 3

p.27

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities (ethos) 2 Attendance 2 Attitudes 2 Behaviour, including the extent of exclusions 2 Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 2

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The quality of education provided by the school 3 The quality of teaching 3 How well pupils learn 3 The quality of assessment 3 How well the curriculum meets pupils’ needs 3 Enrichment of the curriculum, including out-of-school activities 3 Accommodation and resources 4 Pupils’ care, welfare, health and safety 2 Support, advice and guidance for pupils 3 How well the school seeks and acts on pupils’ views 3 The effectiveness of the school’s links with parents 2 The quality of the school’s links with the community 3 The school’s links with other schools and colleges 3

p.27

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The leadership and management of the school 3 The governance of the school 3 The leadership of the headteacher 3 The leadership of other key staff 3 The effectiveness of management 3

p.27

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Inspectors make judgements on a scale: excellent (grade 1); very good (2); good (3); satisfactory (4); unsatisfactory (5); poor (6); very poor (7).

p.27